157.44 EMPLOYEE SERVICE EVALUATIONS.
   All employees shall meet existing basic standards of performance in their work.
   (a)   An employee will be evaluated in relation to the quantity and quality of work, dependability, knowledge of work, competence, efficiency, judgment, cooperation, responsibility, relationship with public, and other factors as may be determined by the City Manager to be useful in measuring the value and performance of City employees.
   (b)   An employee shall be evaluated in writing by his supervisor at the midpoint and conclusion of the probationary period. This is done to ascertain if the employee has acquired or refined existing skills to a level which will permit the employee to function satisfactorily as a permanent employee in the position. After these two probationary evaluations, all employees shall be evaluated annually thereafter on or prior to the date of their employment anniversary by use of written performance evaluations by their supervisor.
   (c)   All evaluations shall be written and shall be on the form prescribed by the City Manager.
   (d)   Upon completion of an evaluation, the supervisor shall review the same in a personal interview with the employee. This personal interview should be used to expand upon the written evaluation by providing feedback on the employee's performance and outlining those areas in need of improvement. Because of the great importance of service evaluation, all ratings must be supported with a written explanation by the evaluator, especially ratings which are above average. If the evaluation was below average, written prescriptive recommendations for improvement should be given to the employee during the interview. These shall be incorporated into the "Employee Objective for Next Reporting Period" section of the evaluation instrument.
   (e)   Both the supervisor/rater and the employee shall sign the evaluation with the original forwarded to the City Manager. If the employee wishes to have the evaluation reviewed, such review shall be conducted by the Department/Division Head jointly with the immediate supervisor. In the case where the immediate supervisor is the Department/Division Head, this review may be conducted jointly by the City Manager.
   (f)   When all evaluation procedures and reviews are completed and the City Manager has signed the evaluation form, the original form shall be placed in the employee's personnel file. Employment evaluation sheets are considered confidential employee records. Access to such forms by all but the employee's supervisor, the employee's Department/Division Head, the City Manager and the employee himself will be as restricted as possible; unless the Law Director determines that a release is required under the State Open Records Law.
   (g)   Informal evaluation should involve an ongoing, continuous dialogue between the employee and his supervisor. This is especially important during the employee's probationary period. These informal evaluations will normally consist of frequent talks so that the supervisor and employee may work cooperatively to understand, evaluate and improve individual performance.
   (h)   Past employee service evaluations shall be given consideration in making promotions, granting merit pay increases, determining layoff sequence and demotions, and in taking disciplinary actions.
      (Ord. 20-04. Passed 2-23-04.)